SNOW GLOBE

by Jeanne Skartsiaris

  Aja could sense his sneer through the thin door.

  “I called the police because of you. What were you doing, driving by our house?”

  Aja heard scuffling on the porch and voices. She looked out the window and saw Officer Smith. She tried to get her attention by knocking on the window, but Clay Richards face suddenly appeared in the glass. Aja jumped back. Her mom was there with the wooden dowel locked and loaded, ready to swing.

  Aja grabbed her mom’s arm. “Put that away,” she whispered fiercely. “The last thing we need is to get tossed in jail because you hit a police officer.”

  “He’s on our property.”

  “We called 911. Let’s talk to Officer Smith.” Sometimes, Aja felt like the mature one. She hated all the drama, most of which her mom created.

  “Mom, stop! Why can’t we do something normal for once? Aja threw her shoulders back and went to the door. She looked at her mom and said, “Put the stick down.” She unlocked and opened the door.

  Clay Richards was right there. Aja gulped and said, “You, off our property. Officer Smith, can we talk?”

  Officer Smith stepped on the porch and said, “I got this, Clay.”

  “Don’t think so, this is my beat.” His beady eyes bore into Aja. “Didn’t you call the police?”

  Aja could feel her mom right behind her. “We called because I saw you drive by. You’re not supposed to come around me.”

  “I thought you got the memo that wasn’t approved.” He rested his hand on the handle of his gun. “I patrol here.”

  “You’ve been harassing us, and my daughter saw you when you broke into our house.” Aja’s mom growled at him like a pit bull. “You take one step in here and I’ll ram this up your ass.” She held the wooden stick up.

  “Are you threatening me?” He seemed to enjoy this.

  Officer Smith came to the door and said to Richards, “I just got off the phone with the supervisor. I’ll take this call. You can finish your patrol.”

  The look he gave Smith made Aja back away in fear that he was going to pull his weapon and shoot her point blank.

  “Don’t play power games with me,” he spit out at Smith. “You’ll lose.”

  Aja let Officer Smith in the house and closed the door on Richards.

  Smith looked at the two of them and asked, exasperated, “Is the stalker you’re reporting Officer Richards?”

  “Yes,” Aja’s mom answered. “I don’t want him near Aja.”

  “May we sit?” Smith asked.

  Aja’s mom and Officer Smith took a seat on the couch. Aja went to close the curtains and noticed Clay Richards next to the cars talking to another officer. Richards pointed his finger ominously to the house. A few neighbors lingered on their front lawns. Embarrassed and angry, Aja shut the drapes.

  “You can’t call 911 for something like this,” Officer Smith was saying to Aja’s mom.

  “I’m going to call out the troops every time I see that jerk.” Aja’s mom slapped the wooden stick on the coffee table. “Who does he think he is, driving by here?”

  “If you keep it up, you’ll be charged with making false calls. Not only will you be fined, but you could spend time in jail.”

  “Me? Why? We’re innocent!” Her mom was outraged. “I’m worried for my daughter’s safety.”

  Aja sat in a chair across from them. “I’m sorry we called, but he really scares me. Nobody believed me when I said it was him who broke in. It seems like every time I look behind me, he’s there.”

  “He was found innocent by the review board.”

  “Yeah, we’re the troublemakers.” Aja sighed. “Maybe I’ll go buy myself a police badge so I won’t be the bad guy anymore.”

  “Look, I don’t want to take sides, but you’re not helping your case by making a scene.”

  The doorbell rang. Aja tensed, fearing Clay Richards was still on the porch, waiting for her. Aja stood and looked out the peephole. But it was Ms. Lewis, the court advocate, looking peeved.

  Chapter 25

  “So is the circus in town?” Ms. Lewis asked when Aja opened the door. Aja noticed that the police cars were still in the front.

  “We called the police…” Aja started, but Ms. Lewis cut her off.

  “I know, I just spoke to Officer Clay Richards, and he told me you and your mother are making trouble again.” She stepped over the threshold without asking for an invitation.

  “Come in,” Aja snipped.

  “Don’t get smart with me.” Ms. Lewis turned to Aja. “I told you we were going to check on you.” She shook her head. “And this is what I find, a crime scene?” She walked to Officer Smith and held her hand out. “Hi, I’m Hilary Lewis, the court advocate assigned to Aja. Sorry they bothered you.”

  Officer Smith stared at Ms. Lewis. “It’s no bother. It’s my job. But it looks as if you’re bothered by something.”

  Aja snickered, and Ms. Lewis gave her a hateful look.

  Officer Smith stood to leave. “Here’s my card if you need anything.” She handed one to both Aja and her mom. She looked around the room glancing at the paintings, some hanging in the living room, some half-finished canvases leaning against the wall. “Did you paint these?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Aja’s mom answered, standing. “I make a little money selling paintings.”

  “They’re beautiful,” Officer Smith said, flipping through the paintings. Most were landscapes and flowers, some life figures. “You’re very talented.” Aja saw her pause at one of Walker, nude, his muscles painted with erotic accuracy.

  Aja could feel the disproval emanating from Ms. Lewis, her eyes fixated on a life-size plaster bust. While pregnant with her, Aja’s mom cast her swollen nine-month belly and breasts and painted it rainbow colors. She’d fixed the mold to a light pole, and the beaded lampshade seemed to be the head.

  “I’ll let you get back to things here,” Smith said. Then to Aja’s mom said, “I’ll talk to my supervisor and see what I can do, but Clay has been here for years. He may be a little hot-headed, but he’s been a good officer.”

  When they finally let Ms. Lewis out, Aja’s mom closed the door hard and bolted the lock. “That woman works my nerves. Come on, let’s do some yoga to calm down. Then I’ll reheat our dinner.”

  Aja fell on the couch. “I don’t want to do yoga. I’m not even hungry anymore. She’s going to report that we called the police. What if I get sent to the detention center?”

  Her mom was already on the floor, stretching. “Breathe, honey. Let the tension fall from your shoulders. Find your chakra.” Her mom took a deep cleansing breath. Aja gulped back a sob.

  Her mom contorted like a pretzel. “This will help us think about how to handle these people.” She breathed again.

  “Mom, I know I sound like a broken record, but I need to graduate from school. I’m already eighteen and don’t want to start my life with a GED.”

  “You know you can do anything you dream,” her mom said, letting a noisy breath out.

  “This dream is turning into a nightmare. How did things get so screwed up?”

  “Come on, Peanut. Join me. I already feel better.”

  Aja got off the couch and lay on her back on the floor. She closed her eyes and wished herself on a beach far away from this hellhole.

  “Do this pose.” Her mom put one leg over the other and stretched her torso. “It will relax you and help with digestion”

  “I thought the tofu would help with that.” Aja giggled.

  “Here.” Her mom pulled her phone from her pocket. “It’s Walker.” Then the phone rang.

  “That’s so weird, mom.” Aja stayed on the floor and answered.

  “Hey, Aja. I wanted to call. I’ve been thinking about you,” he said. “Sorry things ended badly the last time we talked.” He paused. “Your mom told me why you’ve been in jail. So along with everything else, you’re also a political peace terrorist.” He laughed.

  “It’s a long story.” Aja closed her eyes and tried
to forget about the whole police force visit. And she really wished she wasn’t so happy to hear Walker’s voice.

  “So, I’ll probably get a call from Homeland Security for talking to you.”

  “If you’re lucky, the president will call.” Aja stayed on the floor, but looked up. Her mom was still twisted next to her. “You know, Walker, my life is more complicated than it should be. I’ve never been normal and probably never will be.”

  “I know. I think that’s why I’m so confused about you. You’re like the forbidden fruit, everything I’m not.” He sighed. “I can’t even break up with my ex-girlfriend, and you’re out saving the world.”

  “You did pose nude. That’s off the normal chart.”

  “And you walked in.”

  “And saw everything.”

  Aja’s mom blew out a deep breath and smiled.

  “Go reheat our tofu, Mom.” Then Aja asked Walker, “Why did you call my mom’s phone and not mine?”

  “Your phone went right to voice mail.”

  Aja remembered trying to charge it. “My battery dies every five minutes.” She sat up. “Walker, for now my first priority is to get out of jail and school. Then I’m leaving Texas. My life is a roller coaster; I never know what’s going to happen next. And you need to resolve your issues with your girlfriend.”

  “That’s another reason I called.”

  “Kendall?”

  “Aja, she told my grandparents that she saw you putting the key back the night Mrs. Poston’s jewelry was stolen.”

  Aja was stunned. “She’s lying.”

  “This is why I’m so confused about everything. I want to believe you, but why would she make up a story about that?”

  “You tell me. I am not a thief.” Again, Aja remembered the forty dollars. Maybe her mom was right. Karma was dictating the way this was playing out. “I didn’t steal that woman’s jewelry. Period.”

  “Aja, I don’t know what to think anymore.”

  Right now, Aja wished she were a better mentalist, like Kreskin, where she’d have to power to bend spoons, then take it another step further and fling them at someone’s head. “Believe what you want, Walker. I know the truth.”

  Chapter 26

  Aja stood in the school office, waiting for Mrs. Burnett to sign her attendance slip. It was such a hassle to run here in between each class. Plus, she was still steaming mad about Kendall’s accusation.

  “Aja,” Mrs. Burnett stepped from her office. “Do you have a second?”

  “I’ve got to get to my next class.”

  “I’ll give you a pass.” Mrs. Burnett went to her desk. Aja followed her in and sat in a chair.

  “Aja, I just got your SAT scores in.”

  Most kids took the test their junior year, but Aja never lighted long enough in one school district to follow through. She’d just taken the test six weeks ago. “How’d I do?” Aja asked. She thought the test was pretty easy, but sometimes she saw life differently than others. She either aced it or totally flunked it.

  “You’re in the top five per cent of students. You almost got a perfect score.” Mrs. Burnett slid the results to Aja. “Do you realize that this alone would have gotten you some amazing scholarship offers?”

  “Would have?”

  “Most of the scholarships are spoken for by now.” Mrs. Burnett clicked her computer and stared at the screen. “That said, I’m not giving up.” She navigated on her computer.

  “I want to go to Stanford.”

  Mrs. Burnett smiled. “Who doesn’t?” Mrs. Burnett pulled a thick file from her drawer. “Aja, these are your school transcripts, records, grades from your other schools. There is no continuity. Your grades, for the classes you finished, are good, but it’s like putting a puzzle together. Then you’re almost through with your senior year. You haven’t applied to any schools yet. Most students have already been accepted to schools.”

  Aja shook her head. The application fees were always too expensive. She had to choose either applying to colleges or getting her car fixed so she could drive to work to pay for the application fees. The circle of life. And then she probably shouldn’t have bought any of the cute clothes from Abercrombie. Her small way of trying to fit in. “I can’t afford to apply.”

  “With your grades and your…um, ambitious personality, you’d have many opportunities.” She continued to click on her computer. “This program shows you what your chances are for college admissions at every college in the U.S. Aja, don’t let the application fees stop you. I’ll help you.”

  “No, I could barely pay you back the forty dollars.”

  Mrs. Burnett sighed and stopped typing on the computer. “And there lies the other problem. Your background. You’re a little bit of a firecracker. Ms. Lewis would have to release you so your record doesn’t hold you down.”

  “Keepin’ the poor man down.”

  “Don’t get on a bandwagon, Aja. There are opportunities for students. Come back after school today, and we’ll work on getting your applications started.”

  Aja squirmed in her chair. This afternoon, she was going to try and sneak into the hospital wing at the assisted living center to visit Mr. Jensen, since Edna told Lauren that under no circumstance could Aja visit. Aja had talked to Janie, who was going to pick her up on the way to work. Then Aja was going to have to haul butt to get home by seven.

  “I can’t today. I promised to, uh, do something for somebody.”

  Mrs. Burnett raised an eyebrow. “I’m here to help, but you’re already too late for most of the scholarship money.”

  “Can we do it tomorrow?” Aja asked.

  “Here, get these papers filled out tonight and bring them to me first thing tomorrow. Now, let me write you a pass to get back to class.”

  At four fifteen, Aja sat in her car in the mall parking lot waiting for Janie. They’d agreed to meet here, since it was pretty close to the assisted living center. Aja put her long hair up in a bun and wore a ball cap and big sunglasses just in case someone recognized her. Aja wondered if Walker was going to be there with his grandparents and whether or not he and Kendall were really over.

  She had one of her “feelings,” an underlying sense that someone was watching. She’d kept looking over her shoulder. Probably just nerves because she was doing something wrong—again.

  A horn sounded, causing Aja to jump. She looked and saw Janie waving and rolling her window down.

  “Come on, hurry, I’m late as usual,” Janie said.

  Aja got out of her car and slid in beside Janie. “Thanks for doing this.” Janie’s aura was warm and friendly. Aja had missed her.

  “Anything for Mr. Jensen, even if it makes me an accomplice to a life of crime,” Janie said, laughing.

  “I know, right? We’ve got criminals out raping and pillaging, but you and I have to worry about our butts because we want to visit the elderly.”

  “You’re such a bad influence.” Janie sped out of the lot. “Do you have a ride back to your car in case Gabe or I can’t get you back here on time?”

  “I think so. My mom is seeing someone at five-thirty, but should be able to meet me at six forty-five. That should get me home by seven.”

  “Is she driving to the hospital?” Janie asked, with the implication that even Aja’s mom wasn’t allowed on the property.

  Aja pulled her baseball cap lower. “I’m going to make a mad dash to the road, she’ll meet me there.”

  “I’ll see if I can find you a tablecloth to cover you up. The residents will think you’re a ghost.”

  “Then maybe they’ll quit harping on the theft and get some new juicy gossip to talk about.” Aja sunk low in the seat when they drove into the lot. “I just need to be home by seven in case that awful court advocate shows up again.”

  “What about Lauren Jensen? I thought she said she’d take you home.”

  “Not tonight, one of her kids has a soccer game. She was going to send her husband, but I said no worries, I’ll find my way home. Besi
des, I’m not planning on being here long. I could even walk to the mall to get my car.”

  Janie laughed. “I admire you. I don’t think I’d work this hard to get out of high school. But then, you’d wind up like me. Thirty-one-years old, a waitress, with no future and not sure what I want to do with my life.”

  “But you’re good here. Everybody loves you.” Aja knew Janie was comfortable with her life. She sensed that Janie was satisfied working with the residents, a contented happiness.

  “And I like them,” Janie said. “Even if it is sad when it’s their time.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know why I’m so worried about Mr. Jensen, since I hardly know him. It was just strange seeing the pictures of them when they were younger. So different from what they became. It’s like, poof, a whole lifetime of memories are saved in photo albums. All that’s left are pictures and dentures.”

  “And memories,” Janie said. “And seeing their children grow.”

  “And love, I guess,” Aja sighed. “He really loved his wife.”

  They pulled into the circular drive of the resident’s hospital. Aja opened the door. “I didn’t even bring a gift or anything.”

  “That’s okay. He’ll be happy to see you.” Janie leaned back to look at Aja. “No one should recognize you in here, but just in case, keep your head down. He’s in the second room on the left. Call me if you have any trouble.”

  “Thanks, Janie,” Aja said, and lowered her cap visor and threw her purse over her shoulder. Again, she felt the ominous threat of someone watching. She looked back and didn’t see anybody.

  Aja’s heart pounded as she opened the door. The one-desk nursing station was empty, so Aja quickly walked to Mr. Jensen’s room. His door was ajar, and she could hear voices. She hoped there were no visitors from the home who would be happy to report her.

  Tentatively she tapped on the door and pushed it open. “Hello, Mr. Jensen?”

  He was lying on a bed hooked to IVs, apparently asleep. Aja saw Lauren and her sister, Katie, sitting next to him. The room was warm. Near the bed were a small couch and two chairs.